


Son of Evil

by RensSaxophone



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:14:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25523425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RensSaxophone/pseuds/RensSaxophone
Summary: based off of the vocoloid songs "Daughter of Evil" and "Servant of Evil"a cyo ending story
Relationships: Ichinose Tokiya/Kurosaki Ranmaru, Jinguuji Ren/Hijirikawa Masato (small part)
Kudos: 3





	1. Son of Evil

Tokiya and Hayato Ichinose were identical, and from ages one to six, they were practically joined at the hip. Tokiya was clearly the shyer of the two of them, and while they were the same ago, Hayato always seemed more like the older brother. 

And then, when they had turned seven, they had been forcibly parted. Tokiya was forced to start to take his place as the King, and Hayato was brought elsewhere, not to be trained but to be kept out of the way. 

Hayato had taken to his job much easier than Tokiya had. Tokiya had started off sad, and lonely, and all of the strictness that he was forced into had begun to make him bitter at such a young age. Hayato, however, took his sadness and loneliness and grew it into an almost forcible care. He was a very bright, hardworking boy and seven years later he had been sent back to the castle. 

Tokiya had heard of the new servant addition, but he hadn’t paid it much mind. He had begun “ruling” his Kingdom a year ago, but with very little interaction with the outside of his castle, he couldn’t see the way that his lawless Kingdom was beginning to unravel already. There was yet to be unrest, because everything was too new- but he was a child doing the job of men. But when he had been passing through a hall, his entire expression had dropped from its usual, closed off cold one to one of complete shock, his eyes too wide and his body too still. Even with the years, it really was like looking into a mirror- the main difference between them being their clothing. Tokiya was given anything that he could ask for and more and his clothes reflected that- heavy and clearly made out of the best quality materials around, especially lavish compared to Hayato’s modest servant uniform. 

For the first time in years, Tokiya finds a wide smile grow on his face. Hayato returns it with a matching, bright smile, and when he walks closer to Tokiya, Tokiya throws his arms around Hayato’s shoulders. 

From that point forward, their relationship becomes more formal as opposed to the way they had used to play closely as children, but behind the castle walls, Tokiya had changed. Around Hayato, he was known to be friendlier and kinder, though away from Hayato he still held fast to his bitterness and his anger. 

Tokiya wasn’t told no. Should anyone speak against him, they would be punished. He chose to do what he liked, spend as he would, and should he run out of funds, he’d have his treasury increase taxes. It was easy to grow bitterness in the town when Tokiya never saw the public. He stayed in his home, surrounded by the nicest things and his brother and his garden. 

There were very few exceptions- except for when there were. 

Like the ball that Tokiya had been invited to for formality sake, for a neighboring Prince. 

At the age of fourteen, Tokiya met Ren, a sixteen year old Prince. Until this moment, Tokiya hadn’t believed in love at first sight. But that night, as a Queen, the two of them had shared a dance and Tokiya had felt his heart beat in a way he yet to. It was a happiness he hadn’t felt in some time- comparable only to his reconnection with Hayato. The short dance was over far too soon, but for the rest of the night, Tokiya’s eyes had stayed on Ren. 

And he thinks he felt his heart break, when he sees the man that Prince Ren hovers around. The man is pretty, with deep blue hair and a pale complexion. A man that Tokiya would later learn was a simple townsman named Masato. For only a second does Tokiya hope that this isn’t what it seems to be- but then Masato’s cold expression drops into something exasperatingly soft when Ren takes his hand to press a kiss to the back of it with an expression that Tokiya wishes he could have received. 

Tokiya wasn’t used to being unable to get what he wanted.

When Tokiya arrives back to his own castle, he hurriedly makes his way to his own chambers, and Hayato picks up at his heel when he senses how upset Tokiya is. 

When Tokiya settles on his bed, already feeling the tears spring to his eyes, Hayato sits down on the bed next to him, so that he’s next to Tokiya’s back, and he rubs Tokiya’s shoulder, his eyebrows furrowed. 

“What happened, Toki?” 

Toki was a nickname no one but Hayato had ever dared to call him. Even Tokiya had grown rare- because to everyone else, he was “Your Highness” or “Sir Ichinose”. 

Tokiya sniffs, and it makes him sound even younger than he is. “I found a boy, but he likes someone else.”

Hayato frowns, but his voice is gentle, if not a bit encouraging. “It’ll be okay.” He reassures. “You’ll find someone.”

“He’s different.” Tokiya insists, despite not knowing it to be completely true. But from his short time of seeing Ren- Ren was what Tokiya wanted. He liked the kind look in Ren’s eyes, and the smooth lilt of his voice and the pretty color of his hair. He liked the buzz he felt with Ren’s hands in his. 

“And you’ll find someone just as special!” Hayato gives Tokiya a softer smile. “There’s no way you won’t.” He laughs, a bright, nice sound. “I’m your brother. I know these things!”

Tokiya gives a tearful, quiet laugh, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hands. 

It had only been two days later when Hayato had gone into the town and he had run into a man so hard that he had managed to knock them both over. His eyes widen, his face going a bit red as he gives a sheepish smile, jumping to his feet to offer a hand to the man he had knocked over. “I’m sorry! That was my bad.” He apologizes. 

The man takes Hayato’s hand with a thin, pale one of his own. He’s pretty, with deep violet eyes, royal blue hair and a small marking just below his eyes. Hayato feels his breath catch when the man gives him a small, polite smile. “There’s no harm done. I’m uninjured. I hope it’s the same for you?”

“It is!” Hayato assures, managing a bit brighter of a smile. The man’s voice is beautiful, and even when he excuses himself, his face stays in Hayato’s head, and he doesn’t leave it. 

The man doesn’t leave Hayato’s thoughts, even when Tokiya calls him in. Tokiya had been off for the past few days, his mind clearly wrapped up in Ren. 

When Hayato enters, he’s shocked to see Tokiya holding a golden dagger, turning it in his hands. 

“Hayato.” Tokiya says quietly. “I’d like you to help me.”

Hayato stops in front of Tokiya, and he bows his head, waiting for his instructions. 

“I found information on the man Prince Ren is in love with.” Tokiya’s voice is cold. It’s colder than Hayato believes that he’s ever heard before. “I want him dead.”

Hayato’s eyebrows raise, his eyes widening, but he swallows, and his voice comes low. “Who is he?”

“I’ve found that his name is Masato Hijirikawa, from the Kingdom of Blue. His hair is of the same color, he’s pale, with bright purple eyes, and a beauty mark here.” Tokiya’s hand lifts, and it lands exactly where Hayato had feared that it would. “It’s known that he spends an hour a night at a waterfall, just outside of the Kingdom of Orange. I’d like this taken care of tonight.”

“Of course, Toki.” 

Hayato doesn’t let it show on his face, how this news had heard him- but if this was what Tokiya wished, Hayato would do it. Hayato takes the dagger Tokiya offers him, and he slips it into his belt. 

That night, Hayato finds himself at the waterfall, and to his dismay, he sees the back of the man he had been thinking of for days. 

This was where Hayato and Tokiya differed. Perhaps it was because of the way they were raised- while Tokiya may have been only seven, Hayato never would have considered Tokiya possible of going this far back then. But he had no idea what Tokiya had gone through or what he had learned in their separation. But Hayato knows that he’d much rather have the pain of knowing this man, Masato, was happy with someone else than to take him away like this. 

“Excuse me.” Hayato speaks softly- enough to startle the man, but not yet enough to make him suspicious. Actually, after the surprise settles, Masato smiles at him. It was the same smile Hayato had received the other day. 

“Ah, hello. I met you just the other day, yes?”

“Yes.” Hayato’s smile is bittersweet, but Masato doesn’t seem to be able to tell. “I saw you here and I remembered that I never had asked for your name.”

“Masato.”

Hayato’s heart falls at the answer but his smile doesn’t. Masato is clearly expecting a name in return, but his expression turns questioning, when Hayato approaches him. Hayato is too close by the time the expression turns to fear, and pain, as the blade of the dagger makes his way into the man’s chest. One hand is clutching Masato, and Masato falls, heavy against Hayato. Hayato is shocked, to feel his eyes burn. To feel the tears trailing down his cheeks. His voice is almost inaudible. 

“I’m sorry, Masato.”

Prince Ren goes silent, but Tokiya seems less bothered with the news that his rival is gone. He sits in his garden, sipping tea. He eats the snacks he’s brought, reads the new books sent to the castle and lives his life how it always has been. Hayato has never let on his feelings about Masato, or about what he had done. 

Seeing Tokiya smile had become his main concern once again. 

Tokiya had no idea, the unrest happening in his Kingdom. He had no idea that Masato had a young sister, now leading the uprising against him after her brother’s unjust death. He had no idea that Ren was in on it. 

For months upon months, everything had been normal. Until the attack had happened against the castle. Tokiya stood in the balcony on his room, watching as the large mob took down the soldiers at the door. He could see the leaders- the girl, much younger than Masato, but even at a distance their resemblance was obvious. And the man to her right, seemingly masked but his orange hair, as beautiful as a sunset, was a dead giveaway to his identity.

Tokiya jumps, when the door to his chambers opens loudly, and closes just as loud. When he reenters his room, Hayato is holding clothing in his hands, and he moves to Tokiya’s side quickly to force them into his hands. “What-?”

“Change.” Hayato gives him a strained smile, before he turns to dig through Tokiya’s wardrobe. “Quickly.”

“You can’t mean to-”

“Do it.” Hayato’s voice is almost stern, but it drops kinder. “It’s alright. I had hoped this would never happen, but this has always been my place.”

Tokiya is slower than he should be, changing into the server’s uniform and the heavy cloak. Hayato is done changing into the noble clothes long before Tokiya is finished, and then Hayato stops, to set his hand on Tokiya’s head, giving him a bright smile. 

“Smile for me, Toki, okay? I promise that we’ll meet again in a different life. Now go.” Tokiya feels his eyes fill with tears as Hayato pulls Tokiya’s hood over his head and forces him towards the door. With one last look, Tokiya flees. 

Tokiya knows that he should leave. He should gain as much distance as he can and never look back- but he attends the execution that takes place only the next day at tea time. He makes his way to the front of the crowd, the hood still over his head, and he gets no second glances. They truly do believe that they’ve caught the King. 

Of course they did. He and Hayato were nearly one in the same- only Tokiya’s sins weighed heavier on him than they should have on Hayato. That was no longer true. 

Hayato pulled off Tokiya’s cold, indifferent look well, even as the noose is hung around his neck. He glances down, and his eyes meet Tokiya’s. It takes everything in Tokiya to manage a smile- it’s small, it’s sad, but it’s something. Hayato’s face doesn’t change. It can’t. 

Tokiya finally has to look away, when the crate beneath Hayato is removed.

That night, Tokiya finally runs, inconsolable. His tears soak his cloak as he uses it to wipe his eyes enough to see, and he runs until he no longer feels capable of moving, his breathing coming short and his legs aching. He curls himself up into a small ball beneath a tree, but as the night carries on, the temperature gets colder. 

Tokiya’s crying attracts _something_ , and when he hears movement, he wonders if it’s a wild animal, come to finish him off. 

To his immense surprise, it isn’t. 

A man walks out of the forest, a gun slung over his shoulder and a lantern in his free hand. The lantern shines in front of him, but Tokiya can only see his outline. 

When the man speaks, his voice is deep and gruff. “Oi.” Tokiya pushes himself up on shaky arms, looking up at the man with wide, shiny eyes. “What the hell ‘r you doin’ out ‘ere?”

“I’m s-sorry.” Tokiya’s voice is almost gone from his crying and jaw is chattering from the cold. He isn’t sure what he’s apologizing before. 

“Jesus. D’ya live around here?”

Tokiya shakes his head. The man groans. 

“Fine. Get up. You can stay the night in my second room. I don’t wanna be responsible fer you freezin’ ‘t death.”

Tokiya flinches at the man’s wording, but he stands on heavy, leaden legs until the man takes pity on him. He offers his lantern, and Tokiya slowly takes it, confused, and then the man hauls him up the rest of the way with a hand on his upper arm. Tokiya stumbles behind him, but luckily his house isn’t far from where Tokiya had landed. The man keeps conversation short on the way there, but he does introduce himself. 

“Name’s Ranmaru.”

“Tokiya.” His voice is soft. 

Ranmaru grunts. His house is one story, but it’s clearly fairly well taken care of, the front yard of it neatly trimmed and the exterior kept up. When Tokiya is led inside, it’s neat, and warm, and Tokiya catches sight of an instrument in Ranmaru’s main room. He’s led to a room, and Ranmaru takes the lantern and lets go of Tokiya’s arm. 

“Thank you.” Tokiya’s voice sounds even hoarser, even smaller. Ranmaru just grunts. 

One night turns to two, and two turns to a week, and a week into a month. At first, Ranmaru let Tokiya stay because he had made himself sick between his stress, his grief and how hard he had pushed himself, and during that time Ranmaru had learned that Tokiya had nowhere else to go. At first, Ranmaru had given Tokiya tasks, as a way to help around the household but Ranmaru quickly learned that Tokiya was hopeless with any outdoor tasks, but with a bit of teaching, Tokiya at least managed to learn to clean up the house, doing laundry and dishes and dusting. 

Tokiya wasn’t sure that he was exactly doing well, but Ranmaru didn’t complain. Tokiya hadn’t either. 

Tokiya really had changed, after Hayato’s death. He was quieter- his smiles were nonexistent. He pushed himself in his cleaning, he had lost at least twenty pounds because he had cut back on his eating, and his sleeping. He attempted to build up his self-discipline. 

Tokiya had tried to get Ranmaru to teach him how to do some of the outside work, but Tokiya had hurt himself trying to cut wood and Ranmaru insisted that he just stick to cleaning inside. 

It goes on for _years_. 

At the end of the first year is when Ranmaru starts questioning Tokiya about why he was so strict with himself. 

“Ya don’t like the food ‘r somethin’?” Ranmaru raises his eyebrow. “You never take more ‘n a quarter of a plate. I dunno how you even get anything done.”

Tokiya pauses for a long time, and when he speaks, it’s soft and his eyes don’t lift from his plate. “...Before you found me I was incredibly selfish. I was undisciplined, and I ruined lives- my own and others. I-” Tokiya’s voice breaks. “I especially ruined my brother’s life.”

“Your brother?” Ranmaru asks him, his voice careful. 

“Hayato.” Tokiya feels tears burn his eyes, his hold tight on his fork. “...He’s not here anymore, and it’s my fault.”

“...I’m sorry to hear that.” Ranmaru speaks a long moment after Tokiya had finished. “‘N I mean that, Tokiya. I’m not sayin’ you should go wild, but you always look exhausted. ...Learnin’ self-discipline is a good thing. It’s a good thing you’re tryin’. But don’t kill yourself doin’ it. Why don’t you start lettin’ me load your plate? ‘S not selfish if I’m givin’ it ‘t you myself, right?”

“...Shouldn’t it be a good thing? Not taking much of your food?”

“We’re not short.” Ranmaru insists, a bit flatly. “It’s fine. ‘Sides. It’s a huge help ‘t have you cleanin’ up around ‘ere for me, ‘n I’m not really into waitin’ for the day where you collapse halfway through your work.”

“...Alright.” Tokiya bows his head. “Thank you.” 

Ranmaru just grunts. 

Two years in, Ranmaru begins calling him ‘Toki’. It was a subtle change, and the first time, it had really caught Tokiya off guard. It was a casual thing, in passing, and Tokiya isn’t sure if Ranmaru realized he was doing it, too distracted by the physical act of carrying wood into the house. He had just been asking Tokiya to open the door.

_”Toki, get that for me, will ya?”_

That night, Tokiya had stayed up, thinking over it. At first, it had made him feel cold. It had upset him. But slowly, he had decided that he’d be okay with it, if it happened again.

His relationship with Ranmaru was strange. Ranmaru treated him as an equal, but that wasn’t a bad thing. Being held accountable wasn’t a bad thing. 

But Tokiya felt _horrible_. While he couldn’t fool himself into believing that this wouldn’t be what Hayato wanted for him- a comfortable life with someone that he found himself caring for, he thinks more often than not about everything that he’s been hiding from Ranmaru. 

All of his sins. All of the things he could never pass, because it wasn’t something like ruining a relationship, or telling a simple lie. He caused _death_.

And he was sure he’d ruin everything if he told Ranmaru. 

But when Tokiya was nearly eighteen and Ranmaru had just turned twenty, they had taken their relationship a step forward and had found themselves liplocked, Tokiya pressed to the side of the house. 

And then less than a year after that, Tokiya had sat himself down with Ranmaru in their shared bed, his head bent and his face pained. 

“Ran?” 

Ranmaru grunts, watching Tokiya’s face. 

“...I have something I should share with you.”

It takes a long time, telling Ranmaru everything that had happened before he had met Ranmaru. About his horrible ruling style, his childish responses, his jealousy, Hayato and his feelings for Ren that he knows now couldn’t have been love. His order, to take care of Masato. How Hayato had died in his place. 

Tokiya’s jaw grits, and he looks up, looking Ranmaru in the eyes, his voice as firm as he can make it but still breaking in parts. “I think I’m going back. To face Prince Ren and atone for my sins in the way I should years back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a choose your own ending.  
> The next chapter is "Repentance"  
> The last chapter is "Acceptance"


	2. Repentance

Ranmaru’s expression has been hard to read for the majority of the time that Tokiya had been speaking. When he finally finishes telling Ranmaru the story, Ranmaru’s expression shifts into something much darker. 

“‘S been years.” Ranmaru finally speaks. “I never did ‘ear exactly who killed Masato from Ren when I talked ‘t him. He said a King but I never got the King’s name.”

Tokiya thinks he can hear his heart break. 

“Telling you that I’m sorry will never bring him back.” Tokiya’s head lowers, almost to the bed. “But it’s one of the most unforgivable things I’ve done in my life, and there’s a long list of things that I should have regretted long before now. I was a spoiled, stupid brat and I had power that gave me the chance to be an absolute tyrant and I took it.”

“So you wanna go admit ‘t Ren?” Ranmaru asks quietly, his voice flat. “You know that’s guaranteed death, right?”

“...I’m aware. If he were willing to kill me then, I don’t see why he’d change his mind now.”

“Why?”

“...I can’t forgive myself. And even if I could, I have no right to. This isn’t the best atonement for my sins, but it’s the only way I can. I should have forced Hayato to leave. And I… I don’t. I’ve been trying to be better, to live the life that Hayato was trying to make me live, but I haven’t gone a day with any semblance of peace because I’ve finally started to realize that I don’t deserve that.”

Ranmaru is quiet for a long time. “...If you wanna go, I’m not gonna help you get there. I’m not gonna deliver you ‘t your death- but I’m not going ‘t stop you, Tokiya.”

Tokiya just nods. He doesn’t let himself feel hurt by it, because he’s fully aware that he’s hurt Ranmaru. Of course he hadn’t meant to- but that didn’t change anything. After all, he had thought he loved Ren and was still willing to hurt him that badly. To think of someone hurting Ranmaru with the intention to get Tokiya makes Tokiya feel sick. 

“...Not that it’s gonna matter.” Ranmaru says gruffly. “But you should at least wait ‘til mornin’ ‘t leave. Your death’s gonna be fuckin’ pointless if you freeze ‘t death or get attacked by an animal on your way.”

“...Alright. I won’t leave until morning.”

It’s bittersweet. That night, they sleep back to back- but Ranmaru makes him breakfast in the morning. His favorite, of all things. 

Ranmaru doesn’t actually tell him goodbye, but Tokiya doesn’t either. 

Tokiya just leaves. 

It isn’t hard to find his way back to his own Kingdom, and it’s not that much harder to find his way to Ren’s. He arrives only just before evening, letting himself into Ren’s castle. Tokiya knew just enough about Ren to know that unless something drastic happened, he would only ever be a Prince. 

But when Tokiya walks in front of him and lowers his hood, standing stiffly, he knows that Ren will have no problems dealing his punishment. 

“Prince Ren.” Tokiya speaks, his voice low and quiet. “I am King Ichinose. The man you killed years back was my servant- my twin brother.”

“To kill your own family member to save yourself.” Ren murmurs, lost in thought for only a moment. There’s cold anger behind his expression, though he then speaks louder. “Why have you returned?”

“To atone in the only way I can. With my life.” Ren’s quiet comment about killing his brother had truly ripped through Tokiya’s chest. 

“Atone?” Ren’s voice is cold. But when Tokiya stays quiet, he simply raises his hand and two guards step up to grab Tokiya by the arms. 

Tokiya is led to a cell, and dryly he thinks about how this may be the same cell that his brother had been in, years back. 

He closes his eyes, leaning against the wall. His head hangs. 

He thinks about Ranmaru. He thinks about his wrongs. 

Tokiya lied to Ranmaru. Masato was Tokiya’s second regret. Tokiya’s first regret is, and will be for the last day that he lives, his brother. He should never have let Hayato take his place. Hayato had never deserved to die. He had done wrongs, but the weight fell on Tokiya. 

The next day, Tokiya is led in front of a crowd, and he’s placed on a crate, a rope noose placed around his neck. 

Tokiya does look into the crowd, for a short moment. Ranmaru isn’t there, though Tokiya isn’t surprised that he’s not. 

Tokiya hangs his head, as they speak about the reasons he’s being hung- his brother now added to the list. 

His thought is silent. 

_I will see you in my next life, Hayato._

As they move the box from under him, Tokiya manages a smile.


	3. Acceptance

Ranmaru’s face is hard to read while Tokiya is speaking, but his face seems nearly pained when Tokiya finishes. 

“I knew ‘im.” Ranmaru says quietly. “Masato. We were friends when we were kids. Me ‘n Ren, too. I dunno if it’s better or worse, ‘t know it was you.”

Tokiya bows, to the point that his head presses into the mattress. “Sorry will never be enough, but on the very long list I have of my regrets, Masato is up on the top of it- up there with my brother.”

“Why? _How?_ ...When did it change? When did you start regretting it?”

“Truthfully, it started when my brother died. It got stronger, living here with you. ...I loved my brother. More than anything. But finding you…” Tokiya’s eyebrows furrowed. “To be treated as an equal, but not to be just… given everything. You cared about me in a way I think I wish more people had. ...I was a spoiled brat with all of the wrong kinds of power when I was King, and I had the power to silence anyone that tried to speak against me. You’re just… different, Ran. For God’s sake, I had never done dishes in my life, and instead of giving up on me _or_ just doing it for me, you _taught_ me. ...It’s hard to explain it, but you treat me the way I should have been treated and never have been. ...But in developing some extent of a moral, some extent of understanding of what I’ve done… it’s unforgivable. I’ve realized it years ago, but it only gets stronger.”

“Why is this the first I’m hearin’ about it?”

“...How do I tell you that I’m supposed to be dead? That I’ve done horrible, terrible, unforgivable acts? Someone that you’ve let into your house, into your _bed_ at this point? It’s not a good conversation started, and it… it would break my heart, to have you reject me and to know that I deserve it. And God, just the knowledge that I’ve hurt you too, even before I knew you-”

“‘N so you wanna go kill yourself?”

“Atone.” Tokiya says weakly. 

“Atone.” Ranmaru scoffs. “Don’t think that’s what this is Tokiya.”

“What do you-”

“You’re tryin’ ‘t get out of it. All ‘a the guilt you’ve got. …I don’t agree with how long you kept this secret, but you were right not ‘t tell me straight away.” Ranmaru sighs. “But I know it sounds like bullshit. Sayin’ you’ve changed after this- somethin’ this… bad. ‘N you’re right. WHat you did _was_ unforgivable. Takin’ a life… ‘specially fer jealousy… ‘N it fuckin’ hurts. More now that I know that you were behind it. But I’ve seen you act in a way that I can’t even fuckin’ imagine you makin’ that decision anymore. ‘N even if you still could, even if you fooled me- fuck, Tokiya, I care about you. I cared about Masato too, but it wasn’t the same way. Not now. ...Not fer a while. There’s two things I think you’re forgettin’, tryin’ ‘t go get yourself killed now.”

Tokiya stays silent, but his eyebrows pull in and his stare is carefully questioning. 

“First is that you’re ruinin’ your brother’s sacrifice. I promise you that he didn’t lose his life for you ‘t go back ‘n die. I can’t tell you his exact thoughts, but I won’t say your life should be _easy_. You _shouldn’t_ forget everything you’ve done. But he didn’t die for you ‘t ignore why he did it. He wanted you ‘t live, ‘n ‘t learn, ‘N I’d like to believe that I’m not being biased when I say I think you are.”

“...And the second reason?”

“That even if you feel like you deserve ‘t die, I’m not lettin’ you leave. This one’s probably biased of me, but I’m not lettin’ you die.”

“You’re right.” Tokiya says quietly. “That is biased.”

Ranmaru clicks his tongue. “Yeah, well it doesn’t matter. ...Sounds fucked up but the guiltier you get, the more I really believe you’re headed in the right direction, Toki. But you’ve been tryin’. Live fer your brother. He’s your reminder right now. Don’t fuck him over, too, alright?”

Tokiya swallows hard, but he lowers his head once more, and Ranmaru’s hand settles on the top of his head. 

That night, Ranmaru holds him closely, like he were afraid that Tokiya would try to leave. 

Tokiya’s expressions don’t change much, but there’s a better understanding shown by Ranmaru. He understands that Tokiya’s working through his guilt, when he pauses in one of his tasks and his eyes find the floor. When Ranmaru is speaking to him and there’s too long of a pause. But Ranmaru keeps an eye on him nonetheless, unwilling to let Tokiya leave. 

“Is it really right to keep going? To keep me from leaving?” Tokiya asks the question during dinner. 

Ranmaru sighs, but he sets down his fork. “Look.” His tone is serious. “The best I can give you right now is that the person you’re actin’ like isn’t the person you told me about. You’re doin’ work, you’re obviously humbled, ‘n you regret what you did. Won’t take back anythin’, ‘n it won’t fix your wrongs- but if nothin’ else, you’re respectin’ your brother. You’re respectin’ why he pretended ‘t be you, ‘n why he took your consequences. Dunno that _improvement_ is a strong enough word. Fuck, Toki, you nearly killed yourself when you got ‘ere, with how strict you were on yourself. ...You’re tryin’. ‘N as long as you’re makin’ this much effort, to change yourself from who you were as a power-hungry, stupid, remorseless kid, I’m not gonna support you goin’ ‘t Ren’s castle and admittin’ what happened. Not gonna allow it. Because until you told me truth, I had no fuckin’ idea. You’re a different person _now_. ...I won’t defend your actions, but I’ll defend _you_. ‘S long as you keep _this_ up. This sweet, hard-workin’, disciplined guy that _I’ve_ come ‘t know.”

Tokiya can feel his eyes fill with tears, ones that he doesn’t let release even when Ranmaru’s done. He wipes harshly at his eyes. “I- I don’t know that I really deserve that.” Tokiya manages a flickering smile. “But thank you, Ran.”


End file.
